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First and foremost I would like to acknowledge that I am completely aware that this article is going to be labeled irresponsible, but quite simply it is something that needs to be said.
Triple code superstar Karmichael Hunt has already pleaded guilty to cocaine possession charges while Australian rugby league international Greg Bird has joined a number of Titans teammates under investigation and pending charges of their own.
Shifting the investigation to one side for the moment, a number of commentators, ‘experts’, pundits and sections of the media have labeled their involvement as ‘outrageous’, ‘intolerable’, ‘disgusting’ among a myriad of other degrading terms while pushing for the players to receive lifetime bans.
I am here to tell you that this criticism is the height of hypocrisy.
Firstly, let us turn our attention to the past, namely, 1998. Matt Seers, a former NSW Origin representative, sat out the entire season after an O.T Genesis-like admission about his drug use. After all, he was very much in love with the coco.
He returned the following season playing out a successful career and not one person batted an eye. Why? Because he had the ‘courage’ to admit he had a problem? This isn’t a 12-step program, it is a professional sporting organisation.
If he had been caught via drug testing, I am positive (pun intended) that Seers would have endured far more then a 12-month self-imposed sabbatical. I pledge that it had more to do with the fact that it brought no performance prosperity to Seers, a greater example for this point is none other then one of the eight immortals.
Shortly after retiring, legendary halfback Andrew Johns admitted to having used illicit drugs for essentially the entirety of his career. Despite this acknowledgement, Johns has since gone on to be honoured with team of the century status, several influential halves coaching appointments, immortal status and a successful (and lucrative) career with the media.
Yes with the media, yes on national TV, yes in front of millions every week. And personally I am glad he has.
While I am by no means condoning Johns nor Seers and their habits and actions, looking at their situations with even the slightest glance accentuates the hypocrisy of the criticism being directed at those engulfed in the current saga. Particularly in the case of Johns given that these critics are in fact his contemporaries, the same who while attacking the players in question will happily work or catch up with Johns any day of the week.
Coming full circle, the key point regarding both Seers and Johns is that they by and large have escaped any real ramifications (given that Seers’ recent drugs charge is a completely separate incident to the 1998 issue) from their actions and I believe this can simply be attributed to the fact that what they were taking, using and/or supplying was of no unfair benefit to the very source of their financial destiny.
Rheir drug use didn’t make them better players nor did it increase their (legitimate) earning capacity. I’m not going to go so far as to calling their actions and that of the scandal players, victimless crimes but the crux of the matter is that the scandal is incredibly personal in nature.
The active players directly implicated in the scandal are not part of some major crime and drug syndicate. It is for personal use and perhaps that of a few friends.
Let me make it very clear, I do not like drugs and I do not use them but by the same token I’m not going to react like the Indonesian government when a football player happens to be involved with them.
Further continuing on that point, people are mad if they think this collection of less then 10 players are the only professional union, AFL and league players using drugs.
I would say over 30 per cent of players would use illicit drugs at some point during their careers.
Shock, horror, gasp! Take a quick second to look at the alumni involved in rugby league and union. These are not doctors or lawyers – whom by the way would very much so be dabbling into drugs themselves.
If you want further proof that illicit drug use is something that touches every realm of Australian society, professional sport included, statistics from 2013 indicated that eight million people over the age of 14, that’s a whopping 42 per cent of the nation, had admitted to taking illicit drugs at some point. You can guarantee further that the real percentage is probably closer to 50 per cent given some peoples reservations toward admitting illegal substance use.
They are sportsmen. Obviously just because you are a sports person it doesn’t mean that you use drugs, but let me ask you a question. When you were going through high school what clique was it that embraced that party culture?
Who would have the big weekends that couldn’t be discussed around teaching staff the next Monday? Typically it was your jock footballing group and for those who happen to live under a rock the rowdier parties with the ‘in-crowd’ were typically the ones where drugs came out to play.
With this in mind can I ask why we are holding these people to a higher standard than anyone else?
These players do not deserve to have their careers ended because of a questionable act they chose to do in private, that does not effect the successful performance of their jobs and that 42 per cent of our society is involved in themselves.
Fining them? Cool. But you tell me the last investment banker who wasn’t allowed to continue representing clients due to substance abuse – no you can’t point to Jordan Belfort.
Furthermore for those arguing “oh but they are role models, they deserve to be held to a higher level of accountability” I have a number of issues with you. Let me break them down for you.
US President Barack Obama has openly admitted his fondness for marijuana and cocaine, yet his career as president of the most powerful nation was not forced into an abrupt retirement.
Emulation is not an issue, even remotely. Do you really think your eight-year old football fan son is going to say “Gee Dad I want to be just like Karmichael when I grow up and snort cocaine with a 20 dollar bill while I throw baggies around the room”.
Even an eight year old is smart enough to differentiate right from wrong and profession – namely a footballer (the only thing he might actually want to emulate) from an incredulous hobby, so why aren’t you?
And last but certainly not least for you role model fiends, has anyone actually remembered that these people are people first and footballers second? People have flaws, people make mistakes, people let tries get scored on the seventh tackle.
People should not be chastised for a momentary lapse of judgment or a slight deficiency in their character, they should be given a second chance especially in this situation. What would have happened if we imposed a lifetime ban on Wendell Sailor? He paid his penance, was a joy to watch (and hear) and surprise, surprise he too has wound up as an ambassador, spokesman and media personality.
The figure heads behind these rugby league and union organisations don’t seem to mind offering individuals such as Johns and Sailor a chance at redemption so I ask of you to follow suit, let these people pay their penance but do not forever ban them from our sports.
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